Ivan Perilli is a music composer, novelist and time management expert. His main projects are the Happy Graveyard Orchestra and the Sleep City Devils.
How long have you lived in the area?
I moved to East Dulwich more than ten years ago, since then… changed many things in my life but not the location!
What brought you here?
I moved to London years before I discovered Dulwich, almost by accident when you are new to London. Since then, I decided to stay!
What has changed most during that time?
Shops come and go, faces come and go, nothing really changed, I wish some more live music appeared, to be honest! And people should stop cutting trees down.
What do you most value about the area/street you live in?
It’s so quiet, birds singing in the early morning, even quarrels in the street sound nicer than the average London argument.
What one thing would you change?
I wish more art galleries and live entertainment could be found in Dulwich… we can’t be satisfied by good restaurants only.
What’s the one thing you couldn’t do without?
Indian and Turkish restaurants!
Do you know your neighbours?
I do know my neighbours and love them – I do hope the feeling is reciprocal!
The most famous person you’ve seen or met?
Not being native British and avoiding watching TV… I probably missed many! Good for them!
Describe your perfect weekend
Saturday night in between Peckham and Dulwich bars, Sunday morning in Dulwich in a nice cafe, Sunday evening at the Dulwich Tandoori or Hissar!
Where are you likely to be found on Saturday?
For a quiet standard Saturday night, with a couple of friends at The East Dulwich Tavern or the Bishop, good selection of beers and usually a good choice of music too (it always helps!)
Where’s your favourite place to walk?
Being intentionally lost between Lordship Lane, Dulwich Park and Dulwich Village… so many quiet, relaxing, beautiful streets, fresh air and almost no cars.
When I want to relax…
I wish I knew what relax is! But I would say a strong coffee and a pastry at Signoria… then back to work!
The book I’m reading at the moment…
“The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” by Tom Wolfe, bought actually at Chener, the local bookshop on Lordship Lane. Why that book? Because there are plenty of unusual treasures along the way of modern literature, there’s something further than “The Handmaid’s Tale”, I think!
My perfect holiday…
By train, nothing planned, all across Europe, every day a different capital, a different bar, a different language to understand on the menu, a different art exhibition.
My secret ambition..
Headlining a live music festival in Goose Green, one day!